Yvonne Adelaide "Evie" Romain ('' née'' Warren; 17 February 1938) is a British former film and television actress of the late 1950s and 1960s.

Early career

Romain was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

of Maltese descent and is a graduate of the

Italia Conti Academy The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts is a performing arts conservatoire based in Woking, England. It was founded in 1911 by Italia Conti, an actress. The first production at Italia Conti Academy was the play ''Where the Rainbow Ends''. Fo ...

. From the age of twelve she appeared in children's shows and repertory. She started appearing in British films in her late teens. Her exotic, dark looks and 38-22-36 figure saw her often cast in supporting roles as Italian or Spanish maidens in war films and comedies. However, it is for her roles in numerous British horror films that she is perhaps most remembered. She enjoyed parts in '' Corridors of Blood'' (1958), where she starred alongside

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

and Christopher Lee, and also in ''

Circus of Horrors ''Circus of Horrors'' is a 1960 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers, and starring Anton Diffring, Yvonne Monlaur, Erika Remberg, Kenneth Griffith, Jane Hylton, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Romain, and Donald Pleasence. Set in 1947, it fo ...

'' (1960). She was also to star in the later '' Devil Doll'' (1964), about a malevolent ventriloquist's dummy. However, Romain is probably best known for ''

The Curse of the Werewolf ''The Curse of the Werewolf'' is a 1961 British horror film based on the novel '' The Werewolf of Paris'' by Guy Endore. The film was made by the British company Hammer Film Productions and was shot at Bray Studios on sets that were constru ...

'' (1961) where she starred with

Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...

in his first major role. In the film, Romain plays a mute servant girl who spurns the advances of the sadistic Marques. She is thrown into a prison cell with a deranged beggar who proceeds to rape her. As a result, she later gives birth on Christmas Day to future lycanthrope Leon (Reed), though the effort kills her. Hammer Films' publicity stills for the movie capitalised on Romain's obvious charms by having her photographed in typical 'scream queen' poses alongside a made-up Reed. This is despite the fact that she and Reed share no actual screen time. Perhaps her biggest role was in another Hammer production, '' Captain Clegg'' (1962), aka ''Night Creatures'' (US title), playing alongside

Peter Cushing Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage, and radio roles. He achieved recognition ...

and Oliver Reed again, this time as his fiancée. She also appeared alongside Sean Connery twice, in '' Action of the Tiger'' (1957), and the gangster film ''

The Frightened City ''The Frightened City'' is a 1961 British neo-noir gangster film about extortion rackets and gang warfare in the West End of London. It stars Herbert Lom, John Gregson and a pre-Bond Sean Connery, who plays a burglar called Paddy Damion. He ...

'' (1961), where she shared equal billing with the pre-Bond star. Romain also co-starred in the ''

Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again b ...

'' episode titled ''Sabotage'' in 1961, and in the 1964 mystery film '' Smokescreen'' alongside

Peter Vaughan Peter Vaughan (born Peter Ewart Ohm; 4 April 1923 – 6 December 2016) was an English character actor known for many supporting roles in British film and television productions. He also acted extensively on the stage. He is perhaps best know ...

. Oliver Reed would be Romain's most frequent co-star, though. The two appeared together again in an episode of '' The Saint'' (Season 2, Episode 9 'The king of the beggars'), and for a fourth and final time in ''

The Brigand of Kandahar ''The Brigand of Kandahar'' is a 1965 British adventure film directed by John Gilling and starring Ronald Lewis, Oliver Reed and Duncan Lamont. Case, a British Indian Army officer, is discharged from his regiment after being accused of cowar ...

'' (1965).

Later career

Soon after, Romain moved to Los Angeles and starred alongside

Ann-Margret Ann-Margret Olsson (born April 28, 1941) is a Swedish–American actress, singer, and dancer. As an actress and singer, she is credited as Ann-Margret. She is known for her roles in '' Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961), ''State Fair'' (1962), '' ...

in ''

The Swinger ''The Swinger'' is a 1966 American sex comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Ann-Margret and Anthony Franciosa Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed ...

'' (1966), and

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

in '' Double Trouble'' (1967), which she herself calls a 'dreadful film',Yvonne Romain profile
bitememagazine.com; accessed June 4, 2017. though she enjoyed the experience, being 29 then. After a break from the screen, Romain emerged from semi-retirement as the title character in the

Anthony Perkins Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932 – September 12, 1992) was an American actor, director, and singer. Perkins is best remembered for his role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's suspense thriller '' Psycho'', which made him an influentia ...

/ Stephen Sondheim-scripted mystery thriller ''

The Last of Sheila ''The Last of Sheila'' is a 1973 American whodunnit mystery film directed by Herbert Ross and written by Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim. It starred Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, James Coburn, Joan Hackett, James Mason, Ian McShane, and ...

'' (1973), her last screen role, she now being 37 years old.

Personal life

Known as Evie, she married

Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse OBE (; 29 January 1931 – 19 October 2021) was a British composer, lyricist, and playwright who worked on theatre musicals and wrote theme music for films. He was best known for writing the music and lyrics for the films '' Do ...

in 1958. He composed the musicals (including '' Stop the World I Want to Get Off'', '' Scrooge'', and ''

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' by Roald Dahl. The film ...

'') and was also the lyricist for the classic

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...

themes '' Goldfinger'' and '' You Only Live Twice''. She later turned down a seven-year contract with Federico Fellini because it meant working away from her Hollywood-based husband and young son Adam.

Filmography

References

External links

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Yvonne Romain
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Ultimate Yvonne Romain Yahoo Group
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romain, Yvonne 1938 births Living people English emigrants to the United States English people of Maltese descent Actresses from London English film actresses English television actresses